A CUT ABOVE
Eastwood’s a shoot-out saviour
SIMON EASTWOOD was inspired by a cardboard cut-out of his late gran as his penalty save took Oxford to Wembley.
As Portsmouth suffered playoff semi-final heartbreak for the second year running, Eastwood’s sprawling save in the shoot-out thriller proved decisive.
With the face-off deadlocked at 3-3, Pompey midfielder Cameron Mcgeehan blinked first and Eastwood plunged low to his right to make the critical stop.
After midfielder Cameron Brannagan buried the winning spot-kick, Eastwood (inset) revealed a familiar face was among the 1,500 cut-out fans behind the goal.
He said: “A couple of the lads have cardboard cut-out members of their families here. My gran passed away over Christmas and she was among them.
“It was a bit weird because I’ve never been involved in anything like that before, but I like to think she was looking down on me.” Eastwood’s save sealed a first trip to Wembley on July 13 as a boss for Karl Robinson, who said: “We are ecstatic. “Now we’re one step away from achieving our goal before the season started. We left everything on the pitch and not one player on either side let anyone down.”
A handful of Portsmouth fans enjoyed a free view of the action from pallets stacked on a truck in the car park behind one goal at the Kassam – and they were celebrating after 38 minutes.
Marcus Harness smuggled his 20-yard shot through Elliott Moore’s legs and past unsighted Eastwood.
But just as Portsmouth’s lead in the first leg was short-lived, their advantage lasted just 10 minutes.
Ellis Harrison and keeper Alex Bass crossed wires in their efforts to clear James Henry’s swirling corner, the Portsmouth forward debited with an own goal which barely crossed the line. For Oxford, the seven hours it took to install the goal-line technology system proved a priceless labour of love.
Portsmouth substitute John Marquis then headed against the post and Oxford defender Rob Dickie came close to a last-gasp winner in normal time.
Pompey boss Kenny Jackett said: “We never gave up, we played with heart and spirit and it’s tough to take.
“Next year we need to raise the standard again and go one better.
“We’ll feel sorry for ourselves for a couple of days but we’re knocking on the door and we’ve got some very good players who are only going to get better.”